Grandpa shares joy

Jioji Sukulu sits in front of one of the newly built houses. Picture: LUKE RAWALAI

EIGHTY-five-year-old Jioji Sukulu could only be thankful after 19 families from his village were handed over houses as part of the government's Tropical Cyclone Evan rehabilitation program on Yadua Island.

Mr Sukulu said the families were very fortunate and the relocation of the 19 homes to the new site was also a call for people to wake-up to the effects of natural disasters.

"Na neitou yavu makawa e toka ga qori e matasawa ia au kila na kena sa tokitaki na veivalevale vovou oqo sa dodonu me vakayadrati keimami na kena vo me keimami sa toki talega (Our old village site is near to the shore and the movement of the new homes to their current location should be a warning to other villagers of the need to be aware of the effects of climate change)," he said.

"E sa na bau mosi toka vei keda na noda toso ia sana dodonu ga me da toso (It can be a painful experience to move away from somewhere we have called home from time immemorial but we need to move for our own safety).

Mr Sukulu said Yadua villagers were also happy after an announcement from the Prime Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama during his tour that they would have free water and electricity. Commodore Bainimarama promised the people of Yadua that they would have lights and a footpath at the new village site this year.